President Anastasiades’ dinner with the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community Mr. Akinci is taking place after a prolonged stalemate on the Cyprus problem following the failure at Crans Montana.

Since then, a lot has been said and happened, which have worsened the climate and unfortunately made the prospect of the solution of the Cyprus problem even more difficult. The Turkish negative rhetoric, but also Turkey’s recent actions in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus, oblige us to be cautious. However, Mr. Anastasiades should assert the resumption of the dialogue from the point where it was suspended last July, within the framework set by the UN through his Secretary-General. We recall that UNSG Mr. Guterres expects the leaders of the two communities to engage in a dialogue “that will be meaningful”, while the UN and the EU – unfortunately – believe that Turkey wants a solution. At the same time, we expect from Mr. Akinci actions that will help instead of making the return to the dialogue difficult.

AKEL believes that the insistence on the resumption of the dialogue with a view to reaching a bi-communal, bizonal federal solution is the only way for liberation and reunification. The voices heard in both communities, either for maintaining the status quo or for a two-state solution, are dangerous and lead to the permanent perpetuation of partition.

Statement by AKEL Political Bureau member Aristos Damianou